socalrider
Guru
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2020
- Messages
- 1,014
- Location
- usa
- Vessel Name
- SEA WOLF
- Vessel Make
- 1979 CHB 41 Trawler
Thought I'd put this up here since there are so many questions on corroding steel tanks on our trawlers...
Mine is a 1979 CHB 41. Previous owners had to replace the port side tank when their water heater failed and water pooled & rusted it out on the bottom. While they were doing the job, they had the starboard tank inspected & cleaned (they had inspection ports cut in) and were told it was fine, no need to do both.
Our survey revealed that there was corrosion on the top of the tank - almost surely from a leaking deck fitting. Also the fuel fill hose was a mess and needed to be replaced. We assumed that we'd need to replace the tank & negotiated an allowance on this basis.
After talking with several folks, including Vince at American Tanks (the guru), I was encouraged to keep using the tank I had since there was no evidence of leaking. I decided to go ahead and clean, stabilize, and paint the top of the tank, re-bed the deck fill, and of course replace the hose. I started with a scraper, then a wire brush. Next I chose to use Coroseal - first their de-greaser / cleaner, and then two coats their stabilizing primer. I finished it up with a couple coats of Rustoleum topside paint because that's what I had handy on the boat. I didn't paint the whole tank, just what I could reach
The job was a literal pain in the neck, and would probably have been impossible had I kept our generator. Attached are before and after pics for reference. Nice thing about the white paint is it'll be easy to see any liquid that collects on the top side of the tank now. I'll report back if I have any ongoing issues. Really glad to have gotten this one off the list!
Mine is a 1979 CHB 41. Previous owners had to replace the port side tank when their water heater failed and water pooled & rusted it out on the bottom. While they were doing the job, they had the starboard tank inspected & cleaned (they had inspection ports cut in) and were told it was fine, no need to do both.
Our survey revealed that there was corrosion on the top of the tank - almost surely from a leaking deck fitting. Also the fuel fill hose was a mess and needed to be replaced. We assumed that we'd need to replace the tank & negotiated an allowance on this basis.
After talking with several folks, including Vince at American Tanks (the guru), I was encouraged to keep using the tank I had since there was no evidence of leaking. I decided to go ahead and clean, stabilize, and paint the top of the tank, re-bed the deck fill, and of course replace the hose. I started with a scraper, then a wire brush. Next I chose to use Coroseal - first their de-greaser / cleaner, and then two coats their stabilizing primer. I finished it up with a couple coats of Rustoleum topside paint because that's what I had handy on the boat. I didn't paint the whole tank, just what I could reach
The job was a literal pain in the neck, and would probably have been impossible had I kept our generator. Attached are before and after pics for reference. Nice thing about the white paint is it'll be easy to see any liquid that collects on the top side of the tank now. I'll report back if I have any ongoing issues. Really glad to have gotten this one off the list!
